Loom-picker.



7 ,0. 9 1 3 2 R P A D .E T 7N .B T. A

R GE mm LI HP M 0 L0 L flw 5 w 5 00 O- N APPLICATION FILED MAY 24. 1906.

Iwe1o 0?- 7 Ja uar .BM I

rnz NORRIS PETERS co., WASHINGTON, l7. c4

LUTHER PILLING, OF DANIELSON, CONNECTICUT.

LOOIVl-PICKER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 23, 1907.

Application filed May 24, 1806. Serial No. 318,450.

To all w/wm it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LUTHER PILLING, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Danielson, county of WVindha'm, State of Connecticut, have invented an Improvement in Loom-Pickers, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention has for its object the production of a novel and efficient loom-picker so constructed and arranged as to present a yielding cushion at the impact portion where the shuttle impinges, and adapted to be con nected with the picker-sitck in such manner that but little of the stick projects above the picker.

In United States Patent No. 761,622 granted to Bailey on May 31, 1904 a cushion picker is shown and described, but so constructed that the attachment thereof to the 1 it is not applicable to those looms which by their structure require the picker to be carried practically at the extreme upper end of the picker-stick. Such requirement is found at the replenishing side of the so-called "Northrop loom, wherein the filling is automatically replenished in the running shuttle, the filling-feeder or hopper containing the reserve supply of filling-carriers being very close to the top of the replenishing shuttlebox as the lay beats up. It is necessary that the picker-stick shall not strike the hopper, and it is made as short as possible for that purpose, so that the picker must be attached to the stick very near its upper end.

In my present invention have devised a picker embodying the cushion feature shown in the patent referred to, but so constructed that it can be attached to the picker-stick so close to the upper end thereof that practically none of the stick projects above the picker.

The various novel features of my invention will be fully described in the subjoined specification and particularly pointed out in the following claims.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a'loompicker embodying one form of my invention,

the picker-stick being shown in dotted lines; Fig. 2 is a vertical, longitudinal sectional view thereof; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of another'embodiment of my invention, the looplike holding means being of a different character; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one part of the holder shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a similar view of the other part of the holder; Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional detail thereof on the line 6-6, Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the picker shown in Fig. 3.

In accordance with my present invention I prefer to make the picker of a superposed series of layers or plies 1, Fig. 2, of leather, rawhide, or other suitable non-metallic, resilient material, cemented together, the width of the blanks causing the picker to present a sufficiently broad impact portion or body to receive the blow of the shuttle. A sufficient number of such layers or plies are superposed in a suitable mold, with cement of proper character to hold the layers firmly together, and by heavy pressure the several layers are compressed into a permanent pile, molded or bent longitudinally to form an outwardly bulged portion or cushion. This gives a concave back to the picker, as at 2, Fig. 2,.and preferably the upper and lower portions of the back are flattened, as at 3, and lie in substantially the same plane. In the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2 an enclosing band 4 of leather or rawhide is passed around the picker and cemented thereto, for a purpose to be referred to.

The general construction of the cemented, compressed and cushion picker just described is substantially that described and shown in the patent No. 761,622 referred to, but it will be noticed that there are no long extensions at top and bottom of the body,as in such patent, such extensions being therein utilized to secure the picker on the picker-stick.

Herein I employ holding means which embrace the picker and which present a rearwardly extended loop-like portion to receive the picker-stick. Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 such holding means is shown as a loop or band of leather or other suitable flexible material, the sides 5 of which embrace the picker and are secured thereto by rivets 6 extended transversely through the picker near the top and bottom thereof. The band is bent to form a loop 7 which extends rearwardly from the picker, opposite the concaved back thereof'and into which loop the upper end of the picker-stick P is inserted, see dotted lines Fig. 1. The flattened portions 4 of the enclosing portion of cover 4 of the picker seat upon the flat inner face of the picker-stick and firmly sustains the picker, while the back of the loop 7 engages the back of the stick.- As the latter is slightly tapered it is forced into the loop with a wedging action, which serves to rigidly secure the picker in place. Inasmuch as the rivets 6 pass through the layers 1 composing the picker the intermittent impact of the shuttle might tend to loosen some of the layers, and the binder or cover 4 is employed to counter act any such tendency. Instead of bending the picker in the mold to secure the cushioning action the back thereof may be cut out to form the concavity, as described in Patent No. 761,622.

Referring to Fig. 1 it will be observed that the picker is held so near the upper end of the picker-stick that no substantial portion of the latter extends above the picker, so that the same may be'used in places where a pro' jecting end of the stick would be inadmissible, as hereinbefore referred to.

In the other form in which my invention is embodied, Figs. 3 and 7, the picker may be made as previously described, of layers 1 cemented together and compressed, but the upper and lower ends are slightly prolonged, at 8, 9 and somewhat decreased in width relative to the body portion 10, to leave shoulders 11. The backs of the prolongations are flat, as at 8 9 Fig. 3, and in substantially the same plane, to seat on the picker-stick above and below the concavity 2. The flexible holding means comprises a wire member, shown separately in Fig. 4, bent to present upper and lower loops 12, which embrace the sides of the picker and rest on the shoulders 11, see Fig. 3, and having rearwardly-extended loops 13 which receive between them the picker-stick; and a connecting member or connector 14, Figs. 3, 5 and 6. This member 14 is conveniently a metal plate having its opposite edges upturned to form seats 15 in which the upright ends of the loops 13 are held, as in Fig. 3, the plate coming against the back of the stick P.

In order to securely clamp the picker in place, and to provide for picker-sticks of different thickness I prefer to use a clampingscrew 16, which screws into a threaded hole 17 in the connector and bears against the back of the stick. By setting up the screw the connector is forced slightly away from the back of the stick, pulling taut the wire member 12, 13 and thereby forcing the picker firmly against the inner face of the picker-stick. It will be obvious that even if the clamping-screw is not set up the device will hold the picker in place by forcing it down upon the tapered end of the pickerstick, but the adjustable feature provided by the screw makes it possible to fit the picker on sticks of very different thickness.

Instead of making the loop-like holder shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of leather or similar material it may be made of relatively thin metal.

The wire holder shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is very light and strong, and can be easily and cheaply made, and by reason of its flexibility, and the detachable connection thereof with the picker the latter can be easily removed when worn and quickly replaced by a new one.

Various changes or modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A loom-picker consisting of a plurality of superposed layers of non-metallic, resilient material cemented together and shaped to present a broad impact portion concaved at its back to form a cushion, a flexible loop-like holder made in a single piece embracing the sides of the picker, connected therewith adjacent the top and bottom only and extended rearwardly therefrom opposite the con caved back to connect the picker with the picker-stick,

2. A loom-picker consisting of compressed non-metallic, resilient material shaped to present a broad impact portion concaved at its back to form a cushion and flattened at the upper and lower ends of the back in sub stantially the same plane, to seat firmly and directly upon the picker-stick, and a onepiece loop-like, flexible holder embracing the sides of the picker and connected therewith at top and bottom, to receive the pickerstick and connect the picker thereto, the entire impact portion'of the picker being exposed from top to bottom.

3. A loom-picker consisting of a plurality of superposed layers of non-metallic, resilient material cemented together and shaped to present a broad'impact portion concaved at its back to form a cushion, a wire holder bent to embrace the sides of the picker and cross the front of the same at its upper and lower ends, said holder extending rearwardly to receive the picker-stick, a connector for the rearwardly extended extremities of the holder, adapted to rest upon the back of the picker-stick, and a clamp-screw carried by said connector.

4. A loom-picker consisting of a plurality of superposed layers of non-metallic, resilient material cemented together and shaped to present a broad impact portion concaved at its back to form a cushion, upper and lower short prolongations extended oppositelyfrom said impact portion and having their back faces flat and substantially in the same plane, to seat firmly and directly upon I In testimony whereof, I have signed my the picker-stick, and 1oop-like holding means name to this specification, in the presence of made in a single piece embracing said protWo subscribing Witnesses.

longations at the sides and front thereof and LUTHER FILLING.

5 adapted to co-operate with the picker- Witnesses:

stick opposite the concave back of and to re- F. A. KENNEDY, tain the picker in place thereon. GEO. B. GUILD. 

